Sicilian Butter
- 8 cloves Garlic (about 1/2 Head) Or To Taste, Minced
- 1- 1/4 cup High-quality, Extra-virgin Olive Oil
- 2 pinches Salt (or More To Taste)
- 1/2 cups Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 pinches Red Chili Flakes (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Chopped Fresh Basil
- THIS IS GARLICKY!
- Despite the name, it contains no butter.
- I prefer to whisk all of the ingredients together (except for the basil) and let the mixture sit on the counter in a covered bowl for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- Right before serving, I add the chopped basil.
- Serve the Sicilian Butter in shallow serving plates with Italian bread, focaccia, or French Bread.
- You can easily halve or double the recipe as needed.
- Note regarding olive oils: If you do not normally use olive oil, you may not appreciate the bitter/herbal characteristics of some extra-virgin olive oils.
- I like first-pressed olive oils the best but, for some people, they are an acquired taste.
- If youre unaccustomed to using olive oil, I recommend you use a light olive oil the first time.
- Light, in this context, means lightly flavored as opposed to low in calories.
- If you plan on using an olive oil that youve never tasted before, please be sure to taste the oil before making this recipe.
- If you hate the taste of the oil straight from the bottle, the rest of the ingredients will not make up for that.
- Note regarding garlic: This recipe is intended to be very garlicky.
- My mother prefers an entire HEAD of garlic in it (about 15 cloves or so).
- That much garlic could curl your toenails.
- Eight cloves is still VERY garlicky.
- Feel free to use less.
- You can always add more later.
- Another option would be to measure out the 1 1/4 cups of olive oil and then pour a tablespoon of that oil into a small skillet over medium-low to medium heat.
- Dont let the skillet get too hot.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and gently, gently cook it for about 30 secondsno more.
- Add the cooked garlic back into the olive oil you measured out earlier.
- This short cooking time will significantly reduce the harsh flavor of the garlic.
- In my family, this technique would be heresy.
garlic, olive oil, salt, parmesan cheese, red chili, fresh basil
Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/sicilian-butter/ (may not work)